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5 killed in highway accidents in North Gyeongsang Province

Five people were killed Saturday in multiple accidents on a highway in the southeastern province of North Gyeongsang, suspected to have been caused by black ice, the authorities said. One of the accidents happened at 6:20 a.m. near an interchange in the Sangju section of the Seosan-Yeongdeok Expressway, when a truck tumbled off the road after ramming into a guardrail while trying to avoid a vehicle that had stopped. The truck driver was killed. Other accidents reported in the area include a sedan crash that killed all four people on board. Police are investigating whether the accident was connected to another pileup reported in the area involving a trailer vehicle. In another accident, a sports utility vehicle burst into flames after colliding with a truck and crashing into a guardrail near the interchange at 6:35 a.m. As of 11 a.m., the death toll stood at five with multiple people injured. Police believe more than 20 vehicles were involved in the accidents. Due to the accidents, traffic on parts of the highway was temporarily restricted. The authorities are investigating the crashes and

Jan 10, 2026By Yonhap
5 killed in highway accidents in North Gyeongsang Province

Safety or loss of mobility? Older drivers urged to surrender licenses

A taxi driver in his late 70s plowed onto a sidewalk near Jonggak Station in Seoul on Jan. 2, killing one person and injuring 14 others. While a police investigation is underway, the crash has reignited debate over whether drivers aged 65 and older should surrender their licenses. Amid a rise in traffic accidents involving older drivers, local governments nationwide are promoting programs that encourage seniors to surrender their licenses. Concerns over livelihoods and possible limits on mobility, however, have kept the surrender rate just above 2 percent. Critics call for more realistic measures, such as strengthening competency tests for older drivers and mandating devices that prevent pedal misapplication. Traffic accidents involving older drivers are rising sharply. According to the Traffic Accident Analysis System of the Korea Road Traffic Authority on Wednesday, accidents caused by drivers aged 65 and older increased 36.4 percent, from 31,072 cases in 2020 to 42,369 cases in 2024. Over the same period, total traffic accidents fell from 209,654 to 196,349. By contrast, the share o

Jan 9, 2026By Hankookilbo
Safety or loss of mobility? Older drivers urged to surrender licenses

Korea’s health care costs set to double by 2030 as population ages rapidly

As Korea’s population quickly ages, pressure is mounting on the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), with total medical care costs projected to reach as much as 191 trillion won ($131 billion) by 2030 — nearly double the nation’s health care spending a decade earlier. According to a recent report by the NHIS, total medical care costs in Korea climbed from about 22 trillion won in 2004 to 110 trillion won in 2023, a fivefold increase over two decades. As the disease profile rapidly shifts toward chronic conditions and an aging population, the report projected total medical care costs in 2030 at about 189 trillion to 191 trillion won. Last year, people aged 65 and older made up more than 21 percent of Korea’s population, surpassing the United Nations’ threshold of 20 percent for a super-aged society. It also projected a sharp rise in the share of medical spending devoted to conditions related to quality of life, with musculoskeletal diseases expected to climb from fourth in 2023 to third by 2030, mental and behavioral disorders from eighth to fifth, and neurological diseases

Jan 9, 2026By Park Ung
Korea’s health care costs set to double by 2030 as population ages rapidly

InterviewGyeongju reimagines itself as permanent fixture of global diplomacy

When the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum convened last year in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom was cast as more than just a scenic backdrop. Against a landscape of burial mounds and Buddhist temples, the gathering offered a glimpse into a new regional relevance. Under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” member economies committed to tighter coordination on the modern anxieties of the Pacific Rim: the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence and the looming economic pressures of aging populations. Local leaders and the central government are now trying to translate that moment of attention into a sustained role on the global stage. Hahm Sung-deuk, co-chairman of the World Gyeongju Forum’s (WGF) advisory committee, said the city’s dual identity — as a “museum without walls” and an increasingly active diplomatic hub — gives it a rare advantage in seeking a broader international presence. “Gyeongju’s historical and cultural assets are too rich for APEC events (or similar large-scale international gather

Jan 9, 2026By Park Ung
Gyeongju reimagines itself as permanent fixture of global diplomacy

Half of South Korean high schoolers get less than 6 hours of sleep a day

About half of all high school students in Korea sleep less than six hours a day due to demanding study schedules. Academic pressure was also identified as a primary reason why students feel unhappy or contemplate suicide. According to a report released Wednesday by the National Youth Policy Institute, 46.7 percent of the 2,258 high school students surveyed in 2024 said they slept less than six hours a day. Another 30.8 percent reported sleeping six to seven hours, while 17 percent said they slept fewer than five hours. Only 5.5 percent said they slept eight hours or more each night. The average sleep duration was six hours — far below the eight to 10 hours recommended for adolescents by recent research. "Studying" was identified as the main cause of sleep deprivation. Studying at home, including watching online lectures and doing homework, was cited by 25.5 percent of students as the reason for their lack of sleep, followed by attendance at private academies and tutoring (19.3 percent) and late-night study sessions at school (13.4 percent). Studying also took a heavy toll on the menta

Jan 8, 2026By Hankookilbo
Half of South Korean high schoolers get less than 6 hours of sleep a day

Panda diplomacy heats up as Gwangju zoo emerges as potential new home

A zoo in the southwestern city of Gwangju has become a focal point of panda diplomacy between South Korea and China, emerging as a possible new home for the animals after a summit between the two countries’ leaders, with supporters pointing to its track record on animal welfare, trained staff and appropriate facilities. On Wednesday, President Lee Jae Myung said he requested Chinese President Xi Jinping to loan a pair of pandas to Uchi Park Zoo, noting its status as one of the nation’s two designated hub zoos and agreeing to move forward with working-level discussions. The Ministry of Environment grants hub zoo designation based on criteria for animal welfare and conservation, including a minimum site area of 10,000 square meters, an animal hospital and at least three veterinarians. Founded in 1992, Uchi Park Zoo became South Korea’s second designated hub zoo last year, following Cheongju Zoo in North Chungcheong Province. It is widely recognized for its expertise in animal protection and veterinary care, having pioneered a titanium artificial beak for a parrot and successfully op

Jan 8, 2026By Park Ung
Panda diplomacy heats up as Gwangju zoo emerges as potential new home

Report details fate of secret agents S. Korea sent to North, then forgot

In 1992, Kim Ho, executive director of the Korea Special Mission Exploits Association’s Gyeonggi branch, was 20 when he came across a recruitment poster for special agents that would change his life. When Kim asked about the posting, an official promised pay high enough to buy a home and guaranteed employment afterward. After Kim passed a physical test in the southern port city of Busan, he advanced to further screening in central Seoul’s Yongsan District, competing with roughly 400 applicants from across the country. Ultimately, about 30 finalists were sent to Sokcho in Gangwon Province. For the next 28 months, Kim underwent brutal training without an official military service number or rank, learning skills ranging from VIP assassination to infiltration into North Korea. When the assignment ended, however, the promised compensation never came. “After my discharge, government officials would show up at my workplace and ask what I was doing,” Kim told The Korea Times. “That led co-workers to suspect I had been involved in something questionable, making it hard for me to keep a j

Jan 8, 2026By Park Ung
Report details fate of secret agents S. Korea sent to North, then forgot

As winters warm, Korea’s famed ice festivals face uncertain future

Korea’s best-known winter festivals are struggling to adapt to an increasingly unreliable cold season, with climate change unsettling the ice, snow and fishing conditions that once defined them. In North Gyeongsang Province, the city of Andong canceled the Amsan Ice Festival just 10 days before its scheduled opening on Jan. 17, after ice at the riverside venue failed to reach the minimum 25 centimeters required for safe sledding, skating and ice fishing. The festival, which typically draws about 300,000 visitors, was called off for the second time in three years because of poor ice conditions. Festivals in Gangwon Province have been dealing with similar setbacks. Inje County scrapped its signature smelt ice fishing festival on the Soyang River for a third consecutive year, after an unusually rainy autumn raised dam reservoir levels and repeated warm spells prevented the ice from forming properly, with flooding in parts of the planned venue. Nearby Pyeongchang postponed the opening of its trout festival from Jan. 1 to Jan. 9 and shortened its planned 40-day run by about 10 days after ic

Jan 7, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
As winters warm, Korea’s famed ice festivals face uncertain future

K-water highlights AI-powered water management technologies at CES

Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) is using the global stage of CES 2026 in Las Vegas to showcase artificial intelligence (AI)-driven water management technologies, reflecting Korea’s broader ambition to compete in the emerging market for AI-powered water systems. The event is expected to provide a platform for K-water to present its approach to AI water management, which combines public sector operational expertise with technologies developed by private firms. The initiative comes as Korea prepares to implement its new Framework Act on Intelligent Informatization, amid the growing integration of AI across public services. K-water has accumulated extensive experience applying AI across water management, including AI-powered water treatment plants and digital twin systems that simulate real-world water infrastructure. Proven in flood response operations in Korea, the technologies have already been exported to Saudi Arabia and Japan, and are now entering the U.S. market. Of the 21 domestic water-tech companies participating alongside K-water, seven have earned CES Innovation Awards,

Jan 7, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
K-water highlights AI-powered water management technologies at CES
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